Well, I don't plan to laugh at anyone. Different people are at different points in their research and have different needs. Yes, when I was just beginning, a notebook computer was not necessary for my weekly trips to the library. Now that I have most of my basic lines finished to the best of my ability at this point in time, I am doing some single name studies for a few surnames, and doing lookups for others, particularly where I have resources at home or online resources I subscribe to. Everything I research goes in my main database which consists of 127,000 plus names of which at least 99% are hand entered/typed and NOT a collection of the gedcom files of others. I am currently in the process of typing the entire 3 volumes of Donald Lines Jacobus monumental 3 volume work "Families of Ancient New Haven" into my database to share online. When complete with my additions, I hope to add additionally correct lineages to the many incorrect ones currently posted online at WorldConnect/Ancestry. Finding those elusive ancestors often involves researching neighbors, surrounding communities, families of spouses, etc. If one keeps at this process long enough, the paper copies become unwieldy. Most of us who do this for a period of years have file cabinets full of papers almost impossible to organize in a way that makes the information readily accessible. If the names and explanatory material are entered into a computer database, when one reads a query online, it takes only a few seconds to determine if one has information they can provide to the questioner. And the online shared information sometimes results in people writing to offer something new! As a research strategy researching ONLY one's direct line can end up in years of frustration, where if one branched out, there is the possibility of finding the clues that lead to a solution. There are truly "brick wall" problems, but often the brick walls are because people lack research skills and resources. Genealogy is like one big giant jigsaw puzzle that provides ongoing challenges. The security of a laptop is really a non-issue. How many people have had their computers stolen from a library if the user takes reasonable precautions such as not going out to lunch and leaving it unattended for hours? Probably very few. When taking mine to a downtown library or other very public place I carry it in an ordinary book bag so as not to draw attention to the fact I may be carrying something valuable. If I am in a place where I believe security to be an issue, I have a lock that allows me to attach it to a chair or table. I have used it so infrequently, that I likely not used it in two years <g> Lack of a computer does not prevent one from doing good research, but it sure make the process easier. Except for the rank beginner, I highly recommend its use. A major advantage to a computer genealogy database is the ability to share with others. While computer generated reports have their drawbacks in terms of creativity and originality, they do make it easy to share with interested family and friends. One can easily share the sources for fact events making it easier for the recipient to recheck and continue the research. Should one pass on before completing their work, their work will live on where it has been shared. My goal is to determine our family's ancestry to the best of my ability and also to contribute to the pursuit of genealogy as a whole. Again if any newbies would like the research guidelines I created, please let me know and I will send them to you. They don't cover everything obviously, but they will get you started. Margaret Scheffler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mabry Benson" <benson@acm.org> To: <NYOSWEGO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 11:16 PM Subject: Re: [NYOSWEGO] Genealogy Research > Talk about how people have different approaches. > I laughed when Margaret Scheffler said she was so glad she had her laptop > along when she went out for research, because my attitude has always been > that I am glad I am NOT carrying around a lap top and having to worry > about its security. I print out Family Sheets with my information on them > for just the families I plan to research. They are compact and easy to > carry, and I doubt that anyone would want to take them. I also keep my > research notes on old fashioned paper. I could never be bothered to retype > them into the computer, and lots of the info probably wouldn't ever be > entered. So they are paper clipped to my info sheet, and I am ready to do > more digging. > Each to his own. > Mabry Benson > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > List Administrator Bonita Shafer > Northern New York Genealogy - http://www.nnygenealogy.com > sagemarie98@earthlink.net > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >

Mabry, Would appreciate a copy of your research guidelines as I have a friend who is "getting involved." It's always better to compare one's way with someone else's. Thanks in advance! Sherry in IL (My family is from NYOSWEGO). Will be visiting the area this summer. ----- Original Message ----- From: "MScheffler" <mscheffl@twcny.rr.com> To: <NYOSWEGO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 1:11 AM Subject: Re: [NYOSWEGO] Genealogy Research > Well, I don't plan to laugh at anyone. Different people are at > different points in their research and have different needs. Yes, when I > was just beginning, a notebook computer was not necessary for my weekly > trips to the library. Now that I have most of my basic lines finished to > the best of my ability at this point in time, I am doing some single name > studies for a few surnames, and doing lookups for others, particularly where > I have resources at home or online resources I subscribe to. > > Everything I research goes in my main database which consists of 127,000 > plus names of which at least 99% are hand entered/typed and NOT a > collection of the gedcom files of others. I am currently in the process of > typing the entire 3 volumes of Donald Lines Jacobus monumental 3 volume work > "Families of Ancient New Haven" into my database to share online. When > complete with my additions, I hope to add additionally correct lineages to > the many incorrect ones currently posted online at WorldConnect/Ancestry. > > Finding those elusive ancestors often involves researching neighbors, > surrounding communities, families of spouses, etc. If one keeps at this > process long enough, the paper copies become unwieldy. Most of us who do > this for a period of years have file cabinets full of papers almost > impossible to organize in a way that makes the information readily > accessible. If the names and explanatory material are entered into a > computer database, when one reads a query online, it takes only a few > seconds to determine if one has information they can provide to the > questioner. And the online shared information sometimes results in people > writing to offer something new! > > As a research strategy researching ONLY one's direct line can end up in > years of frustration, where if one branched out, there is the possibility of > finding the clues that lead to a solution. There are truly "brick wall" > problems, but often the brick walls are because people lack research skills > and resources. Genealogy is like one big giant jigsaw puzzle that provides > ongoing challenges. > > The security of a laptop is really a non-issue. How many people have had > their computers stolen from a library if the user takes reasonable > precautions such as not going out to lunch and leaving it unattended for > hours? Probably very few. When taking mine to a downtown library or other > very public place I carry it in an ordinary book bag so as not to draw > attention to the fact I may be carrying something valuable. If I am in a > place where I believe security to be an issue, I have a lock that allows me > to attach it to a chair or table. I have used it so infrequently, that I > likely not used it in two years <g> > > Lack of a computer does not prevent one from doing good research, but it > sure make the process easier. Except for the rank beginner, I highly > recommend its use. > > A major advantage to a computer genealogy database is the ability to > share with others. While computer generated reports have their drawbacks in > terms of creativity and originality, they do make it easy to share with > interested family and friends. One can easily share the sources for fact > events making it easier for the recipient to recheck and continue the > research. Should one pass on before completing their work, their work will > live on where it has been shared. My goal is to determine our family's > ancestry to the best of my ability and also to contribute to the pursuit of > genealogy as a whole. > > Again if any newbies would like the research guidelines I created, > please let me know and I will send them to you. They don't cover everything > obviously, but they will get you started. > > Margaret Scheffler > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mabry Benson" <benson@acm.org> > To: <NYOSWEGO-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 11:16 PM > Subject: Re: [NYOSWEGO] Genealogy Research > > > > Talk about how people have different approaches. > > I laughed when Margaret Scheffler said she was so glad she had her laptop > > along when she went out for research, because my attitude has always been > > that I am glad I am NOT carrying around a lap top and having to worry > > about its security. I print out Family Sheets with my information on them > > for just the families I plan to research. They are compact and easy to > > carry, and I doubt that anyone would want to take them. I also keep my > > research notes on old fashioned paper. I could never be bothered to retype > > them into the computer, and lots of the info probably wouldn't ever be > > entered. So they are paper clipped to my info sheet, and I am ready to do > > more digging. > > Each to his own. > > Mabry Benson > > > > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > > List Administrator Bonita Shafer > > Northern New York Genealogy - http://www.nnygenealogy.com > > sagemarie98@earthlink.net > > > > ============================== > > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > > > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > List Administrator Bonita Shafer > Northern New York Genealogy - http://www.nnygenealogy.com > sagemarie98@earthlink.net > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >